LAW OF MARRIAGE. 



101 



tarerf result of the principle of hatred, were it left 

 to its native energies, and were :t not controlled, 

 in the course of providence, by Him who sets 

 restraining bounds to the wrath of man. 



In order to counteract the tendencies of this 

 baleful principle, it is of the utmost importance 

 that youth be trained up in habits of kindness, 

 tenderness, and compassion, both towards human 

 beings, and towards the inferior animals ; that 

 an abhorrence should be excited in their minds 

 of quarrelling, fighting, and all mischievous 

 tricks and actions ; that they be restrained 

 from the indulgence of malicious and resentful 

 passions ; that every indication of a cruel and 

 unfeeling disposition be carefully counteracted ; 

 and that every tendency of the heart towards the 

 benevolent affections, and every principle of ac 

 tive beneficence be cultivated and cherished 

 with the most sedulous care and attention. For, 

 in youth, the foundation has generally been laid 

 of those malevolent principles and passions 

 which have led to robbery, assassination, and 

 deeds of violence, which have filled the earth 

 with blood and carnage : and which have dis 

 played their diabolical energy in so dreadful a 

 manner amidst the contests of communities and 

 nations. 



Were the disposition to indulge hatred, which 

 leads to every species of murder, completely 

 counteracted, the greatest proportion of those 

 evils which now afflict our world, would cease to 

 exist. Human sacrifices would no longer bleed 

 upon Pagan altars ; the American Indians would 

 no longer torture to death their prisoners taken 

 in war, nor the New Zealanders feast upon the 

 flesh and the blood of their enemies. The widows 

 of Hindostan would no longer be urged to burn 

 themselves alive on the corpses of their deceased 

 husbands; norwould the mothers ofChina imbrue 

 their hands in the blood of their infant offspring. 

 The practice of Duelling would forever cease, 

 and would be universally execrated as an outrage 

 OH common sense, and on every generous and 

 humane feeling, und as the silly attempt of a 

 puny mortal to gratify wounded pride or disap 

 pointed ambition, at the expense of the life of 

 his fellow-creature. Despotism would throw 

 aside its iron sceptre, and the nations would be 

 ruled with the law of love; and plots, conspira 

 cies, treasons, and massacres would be attempt 

 ed no more. The fires of the Inquisition would 

 cease to be kindled, the supposed heretic would 

 no longer be consigned to the horrors of a gloomy 

 dungeon, racks and gibbets and guillotines would 

 be shivered to pieces and thrown into the flames, 

 and the spirit of cruelty and persecution would 

 be extirpated from the earth. Riot, tumult, and 

 contention would be banished from our streets, 

 and harmony and concord would prevail through 

 out all our borders. War would forever cease 

 to desolate the nations ; the confused noise of 

 invading armies, the sounds of martial music, 



the groans of dying victims, and the hoarse 

 shouts of conquerors, would be heard no more. 

 Peace would descend from heaven to dwell with 

 man on earth ; prosperity would follow in her 

 train, science would enlarge its boundaries and 

 shed its benign influence upon all ranks ; the 

 useful arts would flourish and advance towards 

 perfection ; philanthrophy would diffuse its thou 

 sand blessings in every direction, and every 

 man would sit &quot; under his vine and fig-tree&quot; 

 in perfect security from all danger or annoy 

 ance. 



SEVENTH COMMANDMENT. 



&quot; Thou shall not commit adultery.&quot; 



This commandment is to be viewed as com 

 prehending within its prohibition, every species 

 of lewdness, both in thought, word, and action; 

 as adultery, fornication, incest, polygamy, &c. ; 

 and likewise all those licentious desires and af 

 fections from which such actions proceed. In 

 this comprehensive sense it. is explained by our 

 Saviour, in his Sermon on the Mount, and by the 

 Apostles, in their letters to the Christian Church 

 es. It is founded on th distinction of sexes 

 which exists among mankind, and on the law of 

 Marriage, which was promulgated immediately 

 after the creation of the first pair a law which 

 was intended to limit, and to regulate the inter 

 course of the sexes ; and to promote purity, af 

 fection, and order, among the several generations 

 of mankind. By this law the marriage union is 

 limited to two individuals. He who made man 

 kind at the beginning, says Christ, made them 

 male and female, and said, &quot; For this cause shall 

 a man leave father and mother and shall cleave 

 to his wife ; and they twain shall be one flesh.&quot; 

 And, it might easily be shown, from an induction 

 of facts, and from a consideration of the present 

 circumstances of the human race, that this law, 

 and this alone, is calculated to promote the mu 

 tual affection of the married pair, and to seouro 

 the peace and happiness of families, and the 

 harmony f general society. By this law the 

 union is m* le permanent, so long as the parties 

 exist in th s world. &quot; What God hath joined, 

 let no man [Hit asunder.&quot; This regulation has 

 a tendency to promote union of affection and in 

 terests, and to induce the parties to bear with 

 patience the occasional inconveniences and con 

 tentions which may arise. Were divorces ge 

 nerally permitted, on the ground of unsuitable- 

 ness of temper, or occasional jars, society would 

 soon be shaken to its centre. Every real or 

 supposed insult, or provocation, would be followed 

 out, till it terminated in the separation of the 

 parties ; families would thus be torn into shreds ; 

 the education of the young would be neglected ; 

 parental authority disregarded ; and a door open 

 ed for the prevalence of unbounded licentious 

 ness. Soon after the commencement of the Re 



